Obama Asks Biden To Draft 'Concrete Proposals' On Guns By January

Vice President Biden watched as President Obama spoke earlier today in the White House briefing room.

Mandel Ngan
/ AFP/Getty Images

Originally published on December 19, 2012 11:28 am

Saying the nation has a "deep obligation" to take steps to reduce gun violence, President Obama confirmed Wednesday that he's asked Vice President Biden to head a task force charged with drafting "concrete proposals, no later than January."

Obama noted that polls show the majority of Americans "support banning the sale of military-style" assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips. Also, most Americans support "background checks before all gun purchases," he said, as one way to prevent an "unbalanced man" from getting his hands on such weapons.

"I will use all the powers of this office to help advance efforts to prevent more tragedies" such as Friday's, the president said.